Tax illustrates just how the authorities are beginning to play by a different set of rules. As Will Taggart, PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Asset Management Tax Leader, and Florence Yip and Martin Vink and their teams explain through much of this issue, tax authorities across the globe are looking to ascertain investors’ identities. They are also raising tax rates and questioning long-established holding structures. All of this is being reinforced by increased audit activity.
For asset managers – especially alternative managers – this means institutionalisation of the tax function is vital. Information technology, of course, has a vital role to play. With investors now viewing tax issues as a potential area of risk, the tax function has become a source of competitive advantage.
Beyond the tax section of this issue, articles demonstrate the impact of the crisis – through regulation, compensation, independent assurance and so on. In today’s world, raw investment returns are no longer enough. Transparency, responsibility and sustainability are all just as important.
© 2010 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved.
PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity.